Hanger and stretcher for clothes



April 8, 1958 K. BASCHNONGA 2,829,811

HANGER AND STRETCHER FOR CLOTHES Filed Aug. 11, 1954 INVENTOR. KARLBAJCH/VO/VGA United States PatentQ HANGER AND STRETCHER FUR CLOTHES KarlBaschnonga, Zurich, Switzerland Application August 11, 1954, Serial No.449,083

2 Claims. (Cl. 223-95) The present invention relates to a combinedhanger and stretcher for clothes, the characteristic features of whichinclude two supporting arms slidably arranged and in parallel relationto each other with gripping elements attached to the outer ends of saidarms a suspension hook and spring means adapted to exert a pulling forceon said arms to move the gripping elements away from each other and tothereby stretch the piece of clothing in question.

it is one of the primary objects of the invention to provide meansaffording a very effective hanger and stretcher structure of greatstrength and compactness.

Further features of the invention will appear from the claims,specification and accompanying drawing which illustrate by way ofexample a preferred form of the hanger and stretcher according to theinvention. In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment 1 of theinvention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same taltenalong lines II-II of Fig.1,

Fig. 3 shows a detail of Fig.'1 drawn to an enlarged scale.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the invention is illustrated as comprisingtwo supporting arms 15 and 16 which lie parallel side by side, beingmovably connected in parallel relation with each other.

In the embodiment according to Fig. l, the supporting arms include twosemicylindrical rods 15 and 16 overlapping each other at their inner endportions, their total cross-section substantially forming a circle. Thetwo parallelly displaceable supporting arms are held together and guidedin their parallel reation by a coiled tension spring 17 encircling themcoaxially in the manner of a resilient sleeve, each end of the spring17a engaging one slotted end of a respective supporting arm or rod 15,16. The spring 17 tends to push the outer end portions of the two armsoutwards, i. e. to bring the stretcher into its maximum open position,in which the spring is detensioned or in contracted condition. In themiddle the spring 17 is surrounded by or carries a strap or holder 18having the centrally located suspension hook 19 mounted thereon.Connected to each the outer ends 15a, 16a of the supporting arms is agripping element 20, over which the piece of clothing (not shown) ispushed, and held and stretched by static friction as the grippingelements are spread apart by the spring 17.

The strap or holder 18 may be fixed to the spring 17, say, by soldering,or it may only be firmly clamped thereon. By this arrangement thesuspension hook 19 will always remain in the central position betweenthe two gripping elements 20 so as to ensure good suspending action,even in the case of narrow cuifs on trousers. Moreover, the elevation ofthe hook above the rods will remain unaltered regardless of the state ofextension or contraction of the hanger.

This form or embodiment has the advantage that the 2,829,81 l PatentedApr. 8, 1958 direction of pull of the spring members coincides with orruns parallel to the direction of displacement of the two supportingarms 15, 16, thus causing a minimum loss of spring power throughfriction and also a small resistance to the displacement of said arms.

Should the hanger and stretcher device he intended for the hanging andstretching of trousers, the gripping elements will be shaped as seen inFig. 1, by a substantially U-shaped stirrup 31 which is fixed at eachextremity 15a, 16a of each supporting arm and has two shanks 33, 34directed downwards when in use. The ends of the trousers (not shown) arethen each passed over two corre sponding shanks 3333 and 34--34 and heldtight or tion between the two gripping elements, so that even smallpieces of, clothing will hang well.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the present invention and it is intended that suchobvious changes and modifications be embraced by the annexed claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A hanger and stretcher for an article of clothing, comprising a pairof complementary rods of substantially semicircular cross-sectionpresenting adjacent fiat faces, respective portions of said flat facesbeing arranged for slidable movement and in parallel overlappingrelation, whereby said flat faces abut one another, a pair of grippingelements for supporting said article of clothing, said rods having innerand outer end portions, said outer end portions carrying said elements,a tension coil spring wound about in close convolutions and forming anouter sleeve for said overlapping portions of said rods, said springterminating in opposite ends anchored, respectively, on said inner endportions of said rods, said coil spring constituting guide means forensuring said parallel slidable movement of said rods relative to eachother, thereby retaining same with their flat faces in said abuttingrelation, said spring tending to move the rods and said grippingelements from each other, a strap seated astride on said spring andsubstantially centrally of the latter, and suspension means connected tosaid strap for sup porting said rods in substantially horizontalposition.

2. A hanger and stretcher for an article of clothing, comprising a pairof complementary rods of substantially semicircular cross-sectionpresenting adjacent fiat faces, respective portions of said flat facesbeing arranged for slidable movement and in parallel overlappingrelation, whereby said flat faces abut one another, a pair of grippingelements for supporting said article of clothing, said rods having innerand outer end portions, said outer end portions carrying said elements,a tension coil spring wound about in close convolutions and forming anouter sleeve for said overlapping portions of said rods, said .springterminating in opposite ends anchored, respectively,

3 4 nected to said spring and located substantially centrally 2,230,301Kirkegaard Feb. 4, 1941 thereof for suspending said rods. 2,423,961Buxton July 15, 1947 2,526,203 Diebold Oct. 17, 1950 References Cited inthe file of this patent 2 523 73 Rowan N 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENTS 52,643,802 Eberhardt June 30, 1953 1,329,877 Barclay Feb. 3, 1920

